Elevated tank



Feb. 20, 1934. B. M. BLACKBURN ELEVATED TANK 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet l FiledSept. 2l

FIOR n Feb. 20, 1934.

Bf M. BLACKBQRN ELEVATED TANK Filed sept. 21, 1953 s sheets-sheet 2 v@ 9l l norman Feb. 20, 1934. B. M. BLACKBURN ELEVATED TANK Filed sept. '21,193s 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Feb. 20, 1934v UNITED STATES ELEVATEDTANK Bryan M. Blackburn, Newnan,

R. D. Cole Manufacturing Co.,

Ga., assignor to Newnan, Ga., a

corporation of Georgia v Application September 21, 193! Serial No.690.494

9 Claims.

This invention relates to elevated tanks for the storage of water orother liquids. It has for its principal object the construction of atank of substantially spherical contour deriving its support solely froma central tower, and being characterized by the absence of any otherexternal supporting columns or framework.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a spherical tankhaving a hollow hub extending therethrough from pole to pole andconstituting not only a balanced buttress for a shape-sustaining systemof internal struts, but also providing a shaft-way segregated from thewater space within said tank and giving access to the interior of saidtank by way of a passage located above the water level.

A further object of the invention is the arrangement of the overflowpipe which determines the maximum water level with the major portionthereof extending through said hub or shaft-way so that it is accessiblefor repairs without the necessity of a person entering the water spaceor draining the tank.

Another object of the invention is the provision of what may be termedan access chamber at the base of the tank and incontnuation of said hubwhich may be entered either by way of a door opening on to a balconywhich surrounds the tower or through a trap door in the oor of saidchamber approached by a suitable ladder extending from the base of saidtower, the floor of said access chamber aiording a safety means toprevent one who enters the door from the balcony from falling downwardthrough the tower, and the lateral walls of said access chamberconstituting a support for brackets which in part uphold the sphericalshell of the tank.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of novelstructure means for reinforcing and stiifening the tower and affordingsupport for the supply riser.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the following descriptionof a preferred and practical embodiment thereof proceeds.

In the drawings which accompany and form a part ofthe followingspecification and throughout the several gures of which the samecharacters of reference have been employed to desig= nate identicalparts:

Figure l is a longitudinal elevation of a tank embracing the principlesof the present invention, part being shown. in phantom;

Figure 2 is a vertical diametrlcal section through the tank. and throughthat portion of the tower immediately below it and denominated in thepresent description as the access chamber;

Figure 3 is a cross section taken along the line 3--3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a cross section taken 4-4 of Figure 3; A

Figure 5 is a plan view of the cover plate at the top of the tankshowing the trap door by means of which access is had to the exterior;

Figure 6 is a cross section taken along the line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a cross section taken along the line 7-7 of Figure 5;

Figure 8 is a longitudinal elevation, part being shown in section of thetower and part broken away;

Figure 9 is a cross line 9-9 of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a cross section taken along the line 10-10 of Figure 9; and

Figure 11 is a cross section taken along the line 11-11 of Figure 2.

Referring now in detail to the several figures, Figure 1 represents afabricated sheet metal reservoir or storage tank, primarily intended forwater, although it is, of course equally well adapted for the storage ofother liquids as well. It is designed to be made particularly in largesizes such as for example, a diameter of feet and a capacity of 500,000pounds or more.

section taken along the It is customary to make tanks of this capacitycylindrical in shape with perhaps a convex bottom and a convex orconical top and to support them by a system of columns or girdersextending from the lower peripheral portion of the bottom of the tank.In such structures, the mechanical expedients employed for the supportof the tank as well as the intrinsic shape of the latter subordinatesthe ornamental features which might otherwise grace the tank, tofeatures purely utilitarian so that such tanks are as a rule extremelyunsightly, and their presence depreciates the value of adjacentproperty.

This tank is characterized by the complete ab sence of any externalsupporting columns other along the line l than the central tower itself.The self-support of the tank is accomplished by means shown in detail inFigures 2 and 1l, and comprises essentially a tubular core or hub 1locatedvertically and axially with respect to the spherical tank 2. Theintermediate portion of the core is fabricated of sheet metalsectionswelded or riveted together in known manner and incidentally it may bestated that the shell of the tank as well as that of the central toweris constructed in like manner, and no claim is laid to the shape ormethod of uniting of the sheet metal segments.

The upper and lower end portions 3 and 4 of the core or hub are composedof frusto-conical sections with their flaring ends directed oppositelyas shown and with their convergent ends united to the adjacent ends ofthe intermediate cylindrical portion. The upper ared end is suitablysecured to the edges of the shell of the tank which surround a polaropening 5. The said polar opening is closed by a cap 6 which may beremoved upon occasion to give access to the upper convex portion of thetank for painting, etc., and the interior of the core or hub portion issegregated from the water space within said tank so that one may climbthroughout the diametrical height of the tank without the necessity ofhaving the tank emptied. The lower flared portion 4 is suitably securedto a cylindrical section 7 forming the connecting member between thetank and the tower and which is secured in leak-tight manner as by thering 8 of angle cross section, to the encompassing edge of the' shell ofthe tank.

The primary function of the core or hub is that of a balanced buttressfor a system of struts comprising a plurality of upper and lower membersrespectively designated by the numerals 9 and 10, said members beingradially arranged, the upper members being secured at their inner endsto the upper portion of the core 1 by suitable gussets 11 while thelower members are similarly secured by gussets 12 to the connectingsection 7 and the adjacent portion of the tank shell. Both of the upperand lower sets of struts are connected in common at their outer ends togus-r sets 13, arranged at spaced intervals about the horizontal gratesurface of the tank. The upper struts are tension members while thelower ones resist compression and in this manner the spherical shape ofthe tank is maintained without the aid of the customary columnsextending from the lower portion of the tank to the ground. It will beobserved that the interest of stiffness the core is surrounded by areinforcing ring 14 of angular cross section at a point beneath theupper series of gussets 11, this ring ensuring the maintenance of thecylindrical shape of that section of the core to which the said gussetsl1 are attached, bracing said section vagainst windage which is the onlyunbalanced force to which it can be subjected.

The upper portion of the tower is constructed to form an access chamber15 composed of a cylindrical wall 16 erected upon a oor 17 and havingits upper end telescoping upon the lower portion of the connectingsection 7. A balcony 18 surrounds the lower portion of the -accesschamber, the floor 19 of which balcony extends at a plane perpendicularto the wall of the tower and functions in conjunction with the floor 17as a stiening element. A door 20 leads from the balcony into the accesschamber. The floor 17 is provided with a trap door 21, normally closed,but through which entrance may be had to the access tower by way of theladder 22 reaching to the bottom of the tower. The floor 17 togetherwith the closed trap door 21 affords a safety means to prevent one whomay enter the access chamber from the balcony door 20 from fallingdownward through the tower. A ladder 23 reaches from the floor of theaccess chamber to a point adjacent the top of the core at which point islocated a trap door 24 which may be opened to 'give access to the waterspace. The trap door 24 is above the level of the water in the tank sothat no special precautions need be taken to make the trap door 24'water-tight. A ladder 25 in the water space of the tanks extendsdownward from the trap' door 24 to the floor of the tank, giving ampleaccess for repairs. It will be noted that the trap door 2l has a latch37 with a handle on both sides so that the trap door can be openedeither from above or below.

A system of radial brackets 26`surrounds the access chamber, beingsecured to the walls thereof and to the lower wall of the tank shell 2,the function of said brackets being to make a rigid connection betweenthe tank 2 and the tower.

The tower is constructed of sections fabricated from sheet metalsegments in well known manner as described, the gage of the metal beingsuch as to enable the tower to support the load of the tank andcontents. The major problem in a tower having this tank supportingfunction is to keep the walls cylindrical, and consequently at suitableintervals a ring 27 preferably of angle cross section is riveted orwelded circumferentially within the tower, being suitably apertured atregular intervals forming the connecting means for a series of radialtie rods 28, the inner ends of which are secured to a floating ring 29.Figure 8 shows three of these shapepreserving arrangements, although thenumber is not critical depending upon the height of the tower, thesuperposed load and the gage of the sheet metal of which the tower isconstructed. The thread and nut construction 30 at the inner ends of thetie rods permits all or any of them to be taken up from time to time inorder to be stressed uniformly throughout the peripheral extent of thetower.

A riser 31 traverses the length of the tower and the access chamber,being angularly offset adjacent the top of the latter and entering thewall of the connecting section 7, opening into the water space of thetank. The head rings afford an eicient and convenient meansagainst whichto anchor the riser, this being done by Ufbolts 32 shown in Figure 9surrounding the riser and being adapted to be pulled into clampingrelation to said riser by means of the nuts 33.

An overflow pipe 34 is also provided, the upper end 35 of whichdetermines the maximum liquid ment of the major portion of the length ofthe overflow pipe within the core of the access chamber makes itpossible and convenient to repair the same without disturbing the waterin the tank.

It will appear from the above description of a preferred and practicalembodiment of the invention that it possesses adequate strength for thepurpose for which it is intended, and is entirely shape-sustaining andself-supporting from within excepting of course insofar as the ultimateload is carried externally by the central column. It is to be understoodalso that the details of construction as herein shown and described aremerely by way of example, and not he construed f as limiting the scopeof the invention as dened in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. Self-shape sustaining substantially spherical elevated storage tankcomprising a shell, a vertical tubular buttress arranged axially withinsaid shell and secured adjacent the poles thereof, and a system ofradially disposed struts within said shell secured thereto at intervalsin a zone adjacent the equator of said shell and reacting against saidbuttress.

2. Self-shape sustaining substantially spherical elevated storage tankcomprising 'a shell, a vertical tubular buttress arranged axially Withinsaid shell and secured adjacent the poles thereof, and anA upper andlower series of radially disposed struts within said shell securedthereto at intervals in a zone adjacent the equator vof said tank andsecured at their inner ends in zones respectively above and below saidequator.

3. Shelf-shape sustaining substantially spherical elevated storage tankcomprising a shell, and a vertical tubular buttress arranged axiallywithin said shell, said buttress being fabricated of sheet metalsections, the intermediate portion being cylindrical and the uppervandlower end portions iaring toward the poles of said shell,

the upper flared portion being secured to said shell and the lowerflared portion being secured relative to said shell, upper and lowerseries of struts within said shell and secured thereto 4at their outerends in a Zone adjacent the equator of said shell, the inner ends of theupper .ends of said struts reacting against said buttress adjacent theupper part of the cylindrical portion and the lower series of strutsbeing secured adjacent the bottom of said buttress.

4. Self-shape sustaining substantially spherical elevated storage tankcomprising a shell, a vertical tubular buttress arranged axially w it hin said shell and secured direct to said shell .at its top, -acylindrical connecting member secured t5 said shell at the bottom, andto the lower end of said buttress, the latter providing a verticalpassage-way through said tank and being open above the water level, tothe water space within said tank, and a series of radially'disposedstruts secured to said shell at intervals in a zone adja cent theequator of said tank and reacting against said buttress adjacent theupper end thereof.

5. Self-shape sustaining substantially spherical elevated storage tankas claimed in claim 4, said buttress comprising a cylindricalintermediate portion to the upper part of which the inner ends of saidstruts are secured, and a stiffening ange surrounding said cylindricalportion in the vicinity of the points of securement of said struts.

6. Self-shape sustaining substantially spherical elevated storage tankcomprising a shell, a vertical tubular buttress varranged axially withiin said shell and secured adjacent the poles thereof, said shellaffording a vertical passageway through said tank, said buttress beingprovided with an opening above the water level -giving access to thewater space in said tank, an overow pipe having its open upper endwithin said water space and determining the water level, said overflowpipe passing through the wall of said buttress near the top thereof andextending downwardly through said passage-way.

7. Self-shape sustaining substantially spherical elevated storage tankvcomprising a shell, a tower co-axial with said shell and alfording thesole support for the latter, a cylindrical section passing through acylindrical opening in the bottom of said tank and secured theretointermediate its ends in Huid-tight manner, means form, ing a tubularbuttress secured to the upper end of said cylindrical section andextendng to the upper pole of said tank, a balcony surrounding saidtower near the upper end and having an encompassing floor secured to theWall of said tower and extending in a transverse direction, forming astiffening flange, a floor Within said tower adjacent saidstiieningrlange, means extending between said cylindrical section andsaid :door defining an access chamber, a door in said iiocr establishingcommunication between the lower part of said tower andsaid access cham.ber, a door through the wall of said access cham-4 ber to said balcony,an opening in the upper part of said buttress above the liquid level insaid tank, giving access to the water space within said tank, and aladder leading from said access chamber to said opening.

8. Self-shape sustaining substantially spherical elevated storage tankas claimed in claim '1, including an overflow pipe within said tank anddetermining the liquid level therein, said overiiow pipe extendingthrough the wallof said buttress Anear its upper end and extendingdownwardly within said buttress and access 'chamber in adjacency to saidladder.

9. Self-shape sustainingsubstantially spheric al elevated storage tankas claimed in claim 7, said tower being provided at vertical intervalswith centrally located head rings, and a plurality of equally spacedradially extending tie rods secured to said ring and to the peripheralwall of said tank.

BRYAN M. BLACKBURN.

